Tag Archives: pine nuts

I feel a bit awkward writing this post since it’s been a good four months since I’ve written anything! Let’s just say a haitus was necessary. Between caring for my mom and step-father and writing two genealogy blogs a day, I felt the need to release some of my responsibilities for a bit. Ritchey has been able to eat as soon as dinner was ready – I haven’t even been photographing my food! But tonight I felt it was time to return – not an every day post as before – but as an occasional blogger, when there’s something special to share.

Another reason for tonight’s reappearance is a new blog – Food, Flowers, Herbs and Life – The Next Generation! Yes, my daughter Kate has a new blog. She has taken up the pen, the skillet and the camera – and brings the world her way of cooking and living life! We’ve very different in many ways, but deep down we’re very much alike – as it should be!

Tonight’s supper was a throw together twenty minutes before Ritchey got home. But I’ve come to love those last minute, throw something in the skillet meals! This was a basic pasta dish, with some good things sauteed in the skillet while the pasta was cooking. Paired with a great wine, it was all we needed for a great meal! That’s all you can ask for!

1 pound sausage

2 handfuls pine nuts

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 pound tiny, fresh green beans

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

1/8 pound Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into small cubes

oregano

1/2 pound medium pasta shells, cooked according to package directions

In a large skillet brown the sausage, cutting it into small pieces. Put the water on for the pasta while the sausage is cooking. When the sausage is starting to brown add the onions and pine nuts. Add the green beans and cook for about five minutes – or until crisp-tender. Remove the skillet from the stove. Add the tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano and stir well. Add cooked pasta. Sprinkle with oregano. Enjoy!

Getting home at 8:00 p.m. is not the ideal time to start supper, but with a quick and easy meal you can have everything ready in a flash! More to the point this is a meal that is not only high in iron and one of the world’s healthiest foods, but is among the tastiest! And nothing could be easier!

Wilted Spinach

Saute a large, chopped red onion in a drizzle of olive oil for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add two cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Add a handful of pine nuts and one of golden raisins. Stir and cook for one minute. Add a large bag of spinach and cook just until wilted, stirring occasionally. Crumble some blue cheese over the top and remove skillet from stove, allowing the cheese to partially melt. The spinach was served with leftover mashed potatoes fried into cakes. So quick, so easy, so good! Enjoy!

Lemon and Garlic Green Beans

This is a very easy, but delicious recipe from Everyday Italian. Sometimes the simple recipes are the most satisfying!

Brown a handful of pine nuts in a hot skillet. Remove to a small bowl. In the same skillet saute 3 or 4 cloves of garlic in a drizzle of olive oil for just a minute. Add 1 quart of canned green beans, drained, or a pound of fresh green beans. Canned green beans just need to heat through; cook fresh green beans until tender but crisp. Zest a lemon into strips. Add roasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Ritchey and Phyllis Brown

I live to cook! My husband loves to eat! We make a great pair! We enjoy growing tomatoes, herbs and flowers in our back yard. Tearooms are a favorite of ours - well, almost any restaurant will do - as long as the food is good! We are passionate about history and visiting 'where it happened'. Truly we enjoy life! Life together!

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